Keynote speakers

Martha Grootenhuis, The Netherlands

Martha Grootenhuis performs research on pediatric psychology in both the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology in Utrecht as well as in the Emma Children's Hospital AMC in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. She works on studies in order to identify psychosocial problems at an early age and stage, and interventions to improve psychosocial functioning and quality of life for children with cancer, chronic disease, their parents and other family members. Her research is increasingly relying on web-based applications, such as the KLIK method (www.hetklikt.nu), designed to systematically track the quality of life and development of children and integrate results in the clinical practice, and the psychosocial group intervention online Op Koers (www.opkoersonline.nl). The website www.zorgvoorhetziekekind.nl provides insight in all her activities.

Andrea Guzzetta, Italy

Dr. Guzzetta is Associate Professor at the University of Pisa and Director of the Infant Neurology Section of the Stella Maris Scientific Institute in Pisa, Italy. His main research has focused on the effects of early brain damage on neurodevelopment and the underlying neuroplastic mechanisms, with the final aim to improve early intervention strategies.

Susan D. Horn, United States of America

Susan D. Horn, PhD is Professor, Health Services Innovation and Research Program, University of Utah School of Medicine. She is a statistician and health services researcher with major interest in severity of illness measurement (developed the Comprehensive Severity Index (CSI®)) and has conducted 35 multi-site practice-based evidence comparative effectiveness studies, including 4 in rehabilitation.

Marjo van der Knaap, The Netherlands

Marjo van der Knaap is an adult and pediatric neurologist, head of Child Neurology at the VUmc in Amsterdam, specialized in brain white matter disorders. She developed MRI pattern recognition to facilitate the diagnostic work-up of white matter disorders and used this tool to define numerous novel disorders. Her research group has identified the mutated genes in most of the newly defined disorders, including vanishing white matter. Her subsequent studies are focused on elucidation of disease mechanisms and more recently development of treatment. In 2000, she founded the Center for Childhood White Matter Disorders in Amsterdam, in which diagnostics, patient care and research are integrated. In collaboration with Rehabilitation, diverse forms of spasticity therapy are offered in the Center.

Richard L. Lieber, United States of America

Dr. Lieber is currently Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. His work is characterized by its interdisciplinary nature—an approach that is relevant to those who study biomechanics, rehabilitation and orthopaedic surgery. Currently, he is focused on developing state-of-the-art approaches to understanding muscle contractures that result from cerebral palsy, stroke and spinal cord injury.

Christopher Morris, United Kingdom

Dr. Morris leads PenCRU, a childhood disability research group at the University of Exeter Medical School, UK. PenCRU has considerable experience in involving families of disabled children as meaningful partners in research through our Family Faculty. Activities include identifying research questions, design research projects, and disseminating the findings to various users of research findings.

Tim Theologis, United Kingdom

Tim Theologis is a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon. He is Senior Lecturer at Oxford University and Research Professor at Oxford Brookes University. He has a strong clinical and research link with the Oxford Gait Laboratory. He was Editor in Chief, Gait and Posture 2005-2015. He is President-elect of the British Society for Children’s Orthopaedic Surgery.